System of charging storage batteries.



No. 677,156. Patented lune 25, mm.

a. n. cnumcT.

SYSTEI 0F CHARGING STORAGE BATTERIES.

I (Application filed Aug. 4, 1898.) (Ila Kodak.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 677,|56. Patented June 25, 190

' G. GONDIGT.

SYSTEM OF CHARGING STORAGE BATTERIES.

A nmionmea Aug. 4, 189B.\

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No llodul.)

//v VENTOH, Geoye li'rberb rnllal ll WITNESSES HIS A TTOHNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CECRCE HERBERT CONDIGT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR To THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE Co.,-oE sAME PLACE.

SYSTEM OF CHARGING STORAGE BATTERIES.

SPECIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 677,156, dated June 25, 1901.

Application filed August 4, 1898. gerial No. 687,696. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HERBERT GON- DICT, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Charging Storage Batteries, of-which the following is a specification. V This invention relates to improvements in systems of charging storage batteries, (Case B5) and it comprises a complete arrangement of electrical apparatus, circuits, switches, cut-outs, and signals for carrying the invention into effect, as set forth in a separate application for Letters Patent, filed concurrently, in which said other application the system is claimed in its broadest sense.

According to the present invention I have devised means for producing differences of electrical pressure and for conveying the same to the batteries to be charged without the employment of a number of independent generators.

In this system of charging storage batteries it is necessary to provide meansfor connecting the charging circuit progressively with two or more supply-circuits having different potentials. In order to prevent confusion and to secure effective operation, it is also necessary to provide a device in each charging-circuit to indicate to the attendant that the current flowing therein is within certain defined limits. When the charging-currenthas fallen to a point at which the battery is-not receiving an effective supply or when the chargingcurrent has increased through any means to such an extent that damage would result to the batteries should such charging continue, it is necessary to call the attention of the at tendant to the fact bysome signal, preferably the ringing of a bell or lighting of a lamp. Ihave therefore invented and use in carrying out the present system a number of be varied'in many particulars without departing from the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a system of circuits, switches, resistances, and supply-conductors embodyingthe invention. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation showing one panel of a switchboard containing the indicators, switches, and connections. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view showing in elevation one of the indicators and switches with their circuit connections. Fig. 4 is a side or edge View of the switch shown in Fig. 3. g r

In the drawings, Fig. 1, A and B are the positiveand negative conductors ofa threewire supply system, and C is the neutral or balancing conductor. The circuitA BO, as here indicated, is a regular city distributingcircuit supplying current at the usual voltage for the operation of lamps, motors, the, and since, because of my invention, the voltage of the various circuits has to be considered, we will assume that there is a constant diflerence of potential between each of the main conductors A and B and the conductor 0 of one hundred and twenty volts.

In order to charge storage batteries to the best advantage, I connect them with a number of circuitsin succession, the potential of each circuit being a step up from that which preceded it. To accomplish this, I provide a switch D, having, say, four divisions, represented by metallic jaws E FG H, which are arranged about a rotatable central shaft e, to which is attached the contactbar f.

' The supply-circuits, bus-bars 1 2 3 4, representing the difierent' potentials, are connected with the contact-jaws E F G H, and the contact-piece f is adapted to engage one or other of the said contact-jaws by turning the hand-wheel d to close the charging-circuit connected therewith upon any one of the supply-circuits mentioned. Of the supplycircuits indicated in the diagram Fig. 1 conductor 1 carries the full potential of the supply-circuit. Conductor? is connected with the supply-circuit through a resistance R which is so graduated as to secure a voltage in the supply-conductor or bus-bar 2 of one hundred and fifteen volts. The conductor or bus-bar 3 is connected with conductor 1 of the supply-circuit through resistance R which reduces the voltage in said bus-bar 3 to, in this instance, by way of illustration, one hundred and ten volts. In like manner the conductor or bus-bar 4 is connected with conductor 1 of the supply-circuit through resistance R, which further reduces the voltage of the current flowing into bus-bar 4, which may, as indicated, be adjusted at one hundred and five volts.

I am well aware that variable resistances for altering the potential of the electric current have been used but heretofore a separate resistance has been placed in each of the charging-circuits'where a number of bat-. teries were used-.t. e., there were as many,

resistances as there are circuits for charging. This method introduces a large number of parts and much complication into the charging plant. I therefore employ a single resistance between the circuit carrying the full charged from bus-bar No. 4, which delivers current at the lowest potential, while the other circuit is receivingcurrent from busbai' No. 3.

The arrangement just described 'is that Which would be employed in the case of an ordinary circuit of two conductors B and C; but the main or public supply-circuit here shown is of the three-wire system, so that the apparatus just described, bus-bars, resistances, and switches, are duplicated, as shown. The switchboard here shown will accommodate eight charging-circuits and is to be extended as desired. It also contains eight of the switches D and eight of the automatic indicators employed in connection therewith, one of which will now be described.

J is a solenoid included'in the charging-circuit and connected by conductor'5 on one side with the fuse-plugj on the switchboard and on the other side by conductor 6 with the axis eof the switch D, which is electrically connected by contact-piece f with one or other of the contact-jaws E F G H, representing the bus-bars 1 2 3 4. Two metallic segments e e surround the axis 6 of the switch D and are electrically connected by means of a pair of metallic brushes f f and secured to and moving with the contact-arm f. These segments and the conductors 7 8, connected therewith, each form one side of and control the two signaling-circuits, as will appear.

I is a core, of soft iron, as usual, and moves within the solenoid J, being restrained or controlled by a suitable adjustable tension-spring I. The lower end of the core I of the solenoid J is extended to form a contact 41 and provided with a pointer j, which moves vertically adjacent to a scale 7' to indicate the flow of current in the solenoid J. Stationary contacts K L, representing the conductors? v 8 of the signaling-circuit,.limit the upward and thedownward movement of the contact- I piece Conductors 9 and 10 are connected to the stops K L and completejthe signalrent has fallen .to or below a predeterminedpoint, for the reason that the battery has been charged as fully as the current of that potential can charge it. He will then by turning hand-wheel d of switch D change the charg-' ing-current to one of higher potential, which will then flow in the charging-circuit, including the coils of the solenoid J, and by drawing in the core thereof will open the circuit of the lamp or bell, which was closed through the stop K, the core of the solenoid, and the conductors 7 8 9, and at the same time indicate upon the scale the strength of the current flowing in the charging-cm -cuit and traversing the coils of the solenoid.

The signal Q is preferably a green lamp, which when lighted by the diminution of the flow of charging-current, as described,,indi-- cates that the charging-circuit should be switched to a bus-bar of higher potential or that the charging-circuit should be opened,

as by breaking the contact between the arm fand the contact segments.

vious that any conspicuous signal operating by the flow of current might be substituted for the green lamp Q. Conversely, when the flow of currentin the charging-circuit is increased by switching in-a bus-bar of higher potential the plunger I will be drawn into the solenoid J breaking contact between the It will be ob- I no I contact-piece 11 and the stop K. Should the flow of current from the next higher potentialbus-bar be excessive, the plunger Iwi ll be drawn into the solenoid to its fullest ex; tent, in which position the contact-piece i will be depressed until it makes contact with the stop L, which will close the second sig naling-circuit through conductors 8 and 10 and the red lamp R, and thence to one ofthe main conductors, indicating that an exces sive current is flowing in the solenoid and directing attention thereto. When the excessive flow of current ceases, the core I will rise under the action of its tension spring I, breaking the circuit of the red lamp R- by lifting the contact-piece i from the contact L. The flow of current when between maximum and minimum will be indicated, as before stated, by the position of the indicator j with reference to the scale 3' While a red lamp is described in connection with this circuit, it will be obvious that any conspicuous signal'distinguishable from the signal Q and operated by a flow of current may be substituted without departing from the invention. When the flow of current in the charging circuit, as just described, again diminishes, the core I of the solenoid will be proportionately withdrawn therefrom by its tension-spring and, lifting the contact-piece z' from the stop L, will open the circuit of the lamp or signal R and stop its operation until finally the contact-piece i is moved to its farthest extreme in the opposite direction and again engages the stop K, Which closes the .circuit of the signal Q, which then becomes operative, in-

dicating that the charging-circuit should be changed to a source of still higher potential or cut out altogether.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- The combination in a system for charging storage batteries, of a common source of supply, a plurality of circuits of dilferent potential, circuit for the battery to be charged, actuating means for controlling the circuits of different potential including conspicuous signals, and a single operating means for connecting the battery-circuit in the circuits of difierent potential.

Signed by me at New York, N. Y., this3d day of August, 1898.

GEORGE HERBERT OONDICT.

\Vitnesses:

FRANKLAND J ANNUS, CHAS. M. MAXWELL. 

